Polls Closed. Results Pending in School Elections

Voters went to the polls today to elect three out of four candidates vying for a three-year term on the , and vote on the local and regional school budgets. 

Carolyn Reitz, Craig Urcioli, Susan McGowan, and Larry Loprete are running for three, three-year terms on the local school board. Jamie Martino is running unopposed for the unexpired two-year term.

The K-8 district is presenting a $27.6 million budget to voters, which reflects a 3.1 percent decreased tax levy, which school official note will save taxpayers about $350 a year for a home assessed at $1,032,252, the borough's average.

The Ramapo-Indian Hills district is presenting a $49 million budget to voters, which reflects a 2.56 percent increase in spending and a 0.52 percent decrease to the tax levy. In order to pass, the budget needs a cumulative majority from the three sending municipalities of Wyckoff, Franklin Lakes and Oakland. If approved in today's vote, residents in Oakland  will pay about $36 less and Franklin Lakes will pay about $41 less for the average home.Wyckoff residents will see a $90 increase on a home assessed at $810,600, the township’s average. (*See editor's note)

There are no Franklin Lakes seats open on the Ramapo Indian Hills Regional Board of Education this election. Three candidates —  Isabelle Lanini, Kenneth A. Porro, and Sabaudin Skenderi — are vying for the one Wyckoff seat being vacated by trustee Jeff Brown, and the two Oakland incumbents — Sadie Quinlan and Jane Castor — are running uncontested for their seats. 

After the RIH school board meeting on Monday night, board trustee Ira Belsky said, "The reason budgets fail is because Yes votes stay home and No votes come out." Belsky encourages everyone who supports the school budget to come out and vote. 

The polls — at the Firehouse on Bender Court for districts 1, 2 and 3 and  at Franklin Lakes Presbyterian Church for districts 4, 5 and 6 — will be open from  2 to 9 p.m. today. 

*Editor's Note: A previous version of this article contained outdated budget figures.